New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-16

b3ps 1t was In art an obstinate unwilngneSs to be
forced or persuaded into anythngi he had held out
so long, he would hold out to the end For he was
often. thought. maladrot in the distribution and
and as everybody did a. that time. as legitimate
means of party support. and believing that It was
clearly within his province to distribute office as
enough for a politician. He thought he would
not trucks to the press. and therefore hc dehed
and fought the great journals and journalists of
the country But by judicious uso of legitimate
political advantages and by personal advances that
coming from him would have conferred distinction.
he might have retained as friends many who be-
came his bltt.rest eneLiies thought ut first that
even Summers friendship need not have been lost.
Cabinet said to him: General, yon Can get st.
Domingo and Summers support II you Will give
him something for A:ney bSt Grant refused
may have been right or wrong; but believe now
that no concessions could long have retained
control absolutely tho more that was yielded the
more he claimed. Lincoln had tho same trouble
with him Grant. but more airoit. ie
playing upon Summers vanity, by making MN
believe that he suggested measures which the Ad-
ministration had already Determined on:
Fish finally became assured that tho ST. Domingo
treaty could not pass the Senate; private count
was taken, and 1t was ascertained that the req
uislte two thirds could not DO obtained in its
favor though more than o majority would vote
for 1t. When this was certain Fish became anxious
to settle the question definitely and begged SKINNER
who as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign
Affairs could control the situation. to bring mp the
treaty and reject 1t. 20 as to have done with tho
Government Withdraw the treaty, peculiar
humiliation to which Grant would not submit.
to aay in 'pn OF nsh
he was returning from dinner; he was ushered
into Summers library and found him in
world knows, were very unhappy, and he was
depressed and probably contemp latng them. He
was not rich, and confessed that tho state Of his
ofo oil Had him EisI ulpral fhp
oldtiine friendship and sought to console him lie
said Reject this treaty, Sumner, and let the
get away from your care. and think of something
else" Sumner was at this time preparing an edition
of his spoeche' or some other work ABOUT himself.
distraction But Sumner said he could not afford
to go abroad, and Fish in the efusion Of tho
recalled, erclamei How wonId You like to he
Minister to England ~ The moment he heard his
own words he recognized his stake. tie saw
what he had said But sumner simply replied
"No cannot disturb Motley and Fish eagerly
hot
passed between them on this subject; yet this is
what mas been called an attempt to bribe Mr.
by the otter OF the English mission. la this very
interview Fish had already urged Sumner to bring
up the treaty aud reject 1t; for tho Administration
had fully made up its MIND that the measure was
lost,
Twice before this Grant had told Fish that he
report of his first interview with Lori Clarendon
arrived next when it was discovered that Motley
had submitted his account of the inter,sw to the
Foreign Office In London, which made it part of
the British archives; but each occasion Fish
had interposcd to save the envoy As have stated
in a previous paper. in May when was leaving
Washington. the President told mo that he had
certainly determined to remove Mr.. Motley.
On the S9th Of June tie 81 D9 % WH, treaty
requested to resign. The determination was then
executed which had long before been arrived at
but have no doubt whatever that the decision of
tho Senate accelerated the action of the President
The axe had heen hanging but now Grant let It
fall. 1t was on tho night of July that General
Grant desired Mr.. Fish to request the resignation
of Motley; but the President supposed that tho
Secretary would telegraph, and week or two later
when he discovered that Mr. Fish had merely
Secretary of State of course complied.
For some months all personnel relations between
language highly disrespectfnl and injurious To the
President; not only attacking his acts but mpteach-
ing his motives, and making hi msclf personally as
we'll as politically Offensive aud Grant was not the
man to endure this without resenting it, He did not
measure his own language IN coI mentine on that OF
tInued his intercourse with Sumner though
it was OF course tn r con,rra'nsd Tor sum
. nsT ec's sort of saying That
Fish meant we'll, but was used by others Fish was
aware Of the language, but it w1sso Important to
that he overlooked what otherwise hs might have
considered unpardonable He WAS IN the Senate
Chamber shortly after the nomination OF Motley's
successor was sent in, and went mp az nanIl to
Summers desk Summer almost provoked q rupture
then but finally thought better of it and things
went for sw bile as before in spite of the Motley
When the Senate reconvsned In December tho
now committees were formed; bnt though the
treaty of St. Domingo had been Tejecte in July,
principally by Summers efforts no attempt was
made by tho Administration to procure tho
deposition of Sumner from his place as Chairman
of the Committee on Foreign Affairs III the
Government had wished 70 avenRe itself IN THAI
way for Summers opposition to tho treaty now
was the time for his imporlous behavior had made
him many enemies well rivals in tho Senate.
bnt not step was taken, not word ntte-ei by tho
Pres dent or one of his Cabinet in that direction.
Motley was finally and peremptOriy removed IN
December. and in January the Senate cAlisd for
the entire correspondence on the subject. In this
referred to tho rumor that he had been removed
because of Summers opposition to tho ST. Domingo
scheme, and Fish replied with some severe
structures which. however, in no way reflected on
81 muer The Senator. however, at once resented
them for his friend AMI refused alta dinner at
General Schenck's house to speak to Mr.. Fish, and
afterward announced In the Senate that lie had
cut the Secretary OF State"
At that very time negotiations for tho Treaty Of
sent out from England to prepare the way tor the
Joint High Commiss that followed; Mr.. Fish
night or two before, in spite OF all that had
occurred. had visited Sumner and consulted Lin
in regard to the Treaty hich OF course mnst go 10
tho Senate for confirmation Sumner had hoy,
for ssss %t
England. He sent Fish q written memorandum In
which he declared that 4" the withdrawal of tho
provinces and islands Unjust be Q condition
preliminary" to any settlement This prcpo.terous
proposition WAS of course never entertained for
moment by tho Administration. for no statesman
on other side OF the Atlantic could conceive OF
acceptance by England. Before Mr.: Fi.h oonld
which Sumner declined the acquaintance Of tho
Secretary. Sir John Rose was present At tho
dinner which, as have said. was given by Gonoral
CT int htviat To Enu
land 40 that in the midst Of tho negotiation on 30
grave question on which he was himself officially
TO act Sumner refused 10 associate with the prin-
cipal representative ana spokesman OF his own
Government 80
The conferences with Rose however. continued,
and lie ut last returned to England. the bearer Of
information which resulted In the dlspatch OF three